What is Bitcoin?

Invented in 2008 by an anonymous person or group (known only as Satoshi Nakamoto), O que é btc? allows people to send each other digital money across the internet. Unlike services like PayPal and Venmo, it’s decentralized: anyone can send or receive Bitcoin without the permission of any central authority.

Bitcoin’s Social Impact: Empowering Financial Inclusion and Accessibility

Bitcoin transactions are verified through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger, known as the blockchain, that exists independent of any central oversight. Each person who owns bitcoin has a wallet that contains a public key (which is an address, similar to your email address) and a private key (similar to a password). The public key lets others know that you own the bitcoin you send them; the private key unlocks a “virtual vault” where your coins are stored.

Once a transaction on the blockchain is confirmed, it can’t be reversed. This is a big part of what makes Bitcoin so secure and trusted. It’s also what allows people to use it for purchases and transfers that are not regulated by governments or banks.

While it has some drawbacks such as volatile price movements and the risk of theft, many people believe in its potential to revolutionize the world’s financial systems. Some invest in it for the long-term, hoping to profit from rising prices; others trade it, taking advantage of intraday price movements. It’s also becoming increasingly popular as a way to store value securely, outside the reach of government-issued currencies.